Journal box



Dec. 5, 1933.

Filed June 17, 1929 2z :fafg

J. J. HENNESSY JOURNAL BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z/2 Ven for c/d/ffw dbn/Yessy Dec. 5, 1933. .1. J. HENNESSY JOURNAL BOX Filed-June 17, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Jz/ f v.

Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFCE 6 Claims.

My invention relates to railway rolling stock and more particularly tojournal boxes of the general type illustrated in my co-pendingapplications Serial No. 212,917, led August 15, 1927, and Serial No.311,850, led October 11, 1928.

rIhe main object of my present invention is to provide a bearingstructure for a joiunal box which will facilitate the application of oilor other lubricant to the surface of the journal.

Another object is to facilitate the application and removal of thebearings to and from the box without dismantling the box from thepedestal in which it is mounted.

Thek co-pending applications referred to above illustrate devicesdesigned for locomotive driver axles. It is one of the objects of mypresent invention to provide a bearing of this type which may beutilized for car axle journals and may M be substituted for the ordinaryA. R. A. box in trucks or other manufacture.

These and other detailed objects of my invention are attained bythestructure illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 isa vertical section through a driver box with the axle journal and aportion of the Wheel hub assembled therewith.k

Figure'2 is a Vertical transverse section taken on the line 2 2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail View showing the lubricant engaging plates providedat one end of the structure.

Figure 4 is a vertical section through a. modified form of the boxadapted for use on car journals.

' Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 5-5 ofFigure 4.

In the structure shown in Figures 1 to 3, the body of the driver box isindicated at 1, the same being provided with a lubricant reservoir 2 inits lower portion having a lling spout 3. The box has an innerlongitudinal wall 4 forming substantially a section of a cone and thelefthand end of the box near the hub of the Wheel has an end Wall 5provided with an opening which will receive the journal 6. A sleeve 7 isfitted into the box and is split lengthwise, as indicated at 8, into twoor more sections. Y The sleeve is also split transverselyintennediaterits ends and a separate member 9 is inserted between theforward and rear sections of the sleeve but does not engage the journal.Dowels D project from the box wall into suitable grooves in the sleevesections to prevent rotation of the latter. A screw S performs a similarfunction for member 9.

The outer periphery of the sleeve 7 is tapered to correspond to thetaper of the inner longitudinal wall 4 of the box and theinner-periphery of sleeve 7 is preferably cylindrical and forms a seatfor a series or" rings 10 preferably split, as indicated at 11. A numberof these rings are positioned between the end wall 5 and member 9 andanother group of rings is positioned between member 9 and the oppositeend of thebox. A detachable cover 12 is adjustably fitted into the endof the box most remote from the Wheel and is provided with an element 13for engaging the end ci sleeve 7 and the outer ring 10. This cover isformed in two pieces to permit application over the axle.

Obviously, tightening of bolts 15 which secure cover 13 to box l willdrive the split bushing further into the box and decrease the diameterof its internal periphery thereby adjusting the rings 1D to provide asnug iit on the journal.

The. combined thickness c1 the rings 10 is less than the distancebetween their retaining elements 9, 13 and 16, leaving them free to moreto and from each other so as to rotate more freely, to better seatthemselves and to contribute to the distribution of lubricant over thejournal.

The inner periphery of member 9 is spaced from the surface of thejournal 6 and is recessed as at 19 to receive a chain 18 or othersuitable oiling ring loosely applied to the journal. inner portion ofmember 9 is cut away at and chain 18 extends through the lower portionof the outer wall, as indicated at 9b, down into the reservoir 2 andfeeds oil to the upper portion of the journal which oil graduallyspreads throughout the length of the journal and iinds its way over thesame by following the spaces between rings 10. n

A flange 2i) extends inwardly from the end wall 5 and has a re-entrantlip 21 on its inner end spaced from the journal. A throw-off ring 22 isformed of two or more arcuate pieces fitting the journal and yieldinglyheld to the journal by a wire 43 having its ends connected by a spring44. The outer periphery of ring 22 is curved' over lip 21 and guides anyoil discharged centi ugally from the journal into the trough formed byflange 29 and lip 21 from whence it is returned to reservoir 2 through apassage 45. A similar throw-off ring 46 is applied to the journal nearthe inner end of the box and guides any discharged lubricant into thetrough 47, formed in the cover 12, from whence it is led into thereservoir through passage 48. Space is provided on both sides of rings22 and 46 to accommodate 3A inch maximum relative shifting movement ofbox and journal.

The box is applicable to the journal transversely of the latter by meansof the side opening provided by removal of the detachable section 49which feature is described and claimed in my copending applicationsreferred to above.

In the structure shown in Figures 4 and 5, the box body 25 has anexterior contour corresponding to an A. R. A. journal box with theexception of its end structure which is provided with a removable cap 26which is recessed, as indicated at 27, to receive a thrust bearing 28adapted to engage the end of the journal 29.

The member 30 forms the stationary sleeve and is provided with suicientthickness at the top to resist distortion under heavy load andpreferably is made in one piece and is provided with a semi-circulargrooved member 31 for receiving the oiling chain 32.

A series of rings 33 are mounted in member 30 in spaced relation andform the journal bearing. Since the end of the journal is accessiblewhen cap 26 is removed, it is not necessary to split member 30 or therings 33 as the same may be slipped on to the journal lengthwise of thelatter. The clearance between the top wall 34 of the oil reservoir 35and the bottom of member 30 is suiiicient to permit the box and truckstructure supported thereon to be jacked up far enough to relieve thejournal of its load and permit the withdrawal of the bearing elements.

A collar 36 is fitted on to the journal near one end of the box andserves to return oil which tends to iiow along the journal and throughthe end of the box.

No corresponding collar is needed at the opposite end of the box as thesame is closed by cap 26 since the journal terminates with its outer endin the box.

The bearing sleeve 30 has lugs 3'7 to engage recesses in the box andthese lugs and recesses correspond to those present in the ordinary boxand journal bearing wedge structure. My construction eliminates thebearing wedge usually required in journal boxes for railway cars.

The ring spacer 3l is held in position by the dowel screw 38. Spacer 3lcan be entered after the rings on the inner portion of the bearing havebeen placed in position and before the sleeve 30 has been entered morethan half Way into the box. It is not necessary for spacer 31 toencircle the journal if the bearing rings 33 are made as shown, i. e.,not formed in two or more parts.

In both forms of my invention, the bearing provided by the plurality ofrings accommodates any unevenness of the journal surface and tends topreserve a uniform bearing face and will tend to eliminate undue wear atone point as must result from a stationary bearing.

The details of the construction illustrated are not essential to theembodiment of my invention and I contemplate the exclusive use of suchmodifications of my invention as come within the scope of my claims.

I claim:

1. A railway axle journal bearing comprising a plurality of narrowmetallic rings arranged end to end, each formed of a plurality of parts,a split sleeve surrounding said rings and holding them in axialalignment said sleeve having a tapered exterior, and a journal boxhaving a correspondingly tapered interior whereby said parts areadjusted radially by axial movement of said sleeve.

2. In a railway axle journal bearing, a plurality of narrow ringsarranged end to end and provided with aligned inner peripheries formingjournal engaging surfaces, an annular member between two of said ringswith an inner periphery of greater diameter than the inner peripheriesof said rings and provided with an inwardly facing recess, and an oilconveying element positioned in said recess.

3. In combination, a railway journal box having a lubricant reservoir inits lower portion, a plurality of rings mounted in said box and havingaligned inner peripheries forming a journal bearing surface, a memberbetween two of said rings and spaced from said bearing surface andprovided with a recess on its inner periphery, and an oiling element insaid recess and adapted to rest on a journal seated in said bearingsurface.

4. In combination, a locomotive journal box including an end wall withan opening for an axle journal and including a longitudinal inner wallconverging towards said end wall, a split sleeve fitting said convergingwall and having a cylindrical inner periphery, a series of rings fittingin said sleeve and having inner peripheries forming a journal bearing, adetachable cover adjustably inserted in the other end of said box andengaging the corresponding end of said sleeve, said end wall and saidcover having elements for engaging the end rings of said series.

5. In combination, a journal box, a sleeve therein split lengthwise andtransversely into a plurality of portions, a member spacing thetransversely split portions of said sleeve and provided with a groove onits inner periphery, and an oiling ring positioned in said groove.

6. In combination, a journal box having a tapered interior, a sleevetting therein and split lengthwise and transversely into a plurality ofportions, a plurality of rings in said sleeve having inner peripheriesforming a journal bearing, and a member spacing certain of said ringsand the transversely split portions of said sleeve and provided with arecess for receiving an oiling member and spacing the same from saidrings.

JAMES J. HENNESSY.

